Sunday, December 1, 2013

We've all seen the motivational quotes about "missing 100% of the shots you don't take" and we all get that but what about when you have to take that leap when the safety net might not be there?

You know those times when you are standing on the edge deciding whether or not you want to jump?

A lot of times "taking a shot" means going against the grain, beating the odds, defying logic.

It means trusting your gut. Following your heart. Taking a chance.

"Take a shot."

The key to "taking a shot" is knowing that you have just as equal of chance as succeeding as you do as failing. But here is the thing...one can argue...even when you fail when you take that shot...you actually succeed.

My dad took several shots. He missed a lot of them. He made a lot of them.

After working for several years for the same company, the regime changed and wanted to get younger so they sent "old" pros like my dad packing. My dad had two choices; take a great, safe offer from a well established company or try to make it on his own. He chose the latter. On paper and in the short term...one would say he failed. But in the long term...he became a huge success because he went back to school, reinvented himself, loved what he did and ended up passing away with no regrets.

What would you rather do? Swing away and hope you hit a home run or keep the bat on your shoulder and take strike three? It's an easy choice for me.